Weft replenishing mechanism for automatic looms



Nov. 27, 193.4. A, A, R ON 1,982,249

WEFT REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC LOOMS Filed July 20, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 27, 1934. I A. A. GORDON WEFT REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC LOOMS- Filed July 20, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 WEF'i REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC LOOMS Filed July 20, 1935 I 4 Sheets-Shet 3 Q? r I ZW/Zfw? Nov. 27, 1934. A, A D N 1,982,249

WEFT REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC LOOMS Filed July 20, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l atentetl Nov. 27, 1934 PATENT OFFICE WEFT REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC LOOMS Albert A. Gordon,

Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester,

ass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 20, 1933, Serial No. 681,272

7 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic looms having two or more shuttle boxes on the magazine or weft replenishing end of the lay. Such a loom is shown in my prior Patent No. 1,803,181, issued April 28, 1931, and my present invention relates to improvements in the construction and operation of the loom therein shown.

One object of my present invention is to provide a positive and accurately timed device for releasing the transferrer after the transfer operation has been completed.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved device for directing and guiding the empty bobbin as it is ejected from the exhausted shuttle.

A third object is to provide an improved device for holding the fresh bobbin against the face of the transferrer during the transfer operation.

My invention further relates to arrangements 20 and combinations of parts which willbe hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an end elevation of parts of a loom embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the magazine;

Fig. 3 is a detail rear elevation of certain parts, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional front elevation. taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of certain parts. looking in the general direction of the arrow 6 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the devicefor directing and guiding the ejected bobbin;

Fig. 8 is an end view thereof, looking in the direction of the arrow 8 in Fig. 7, and

Fig. 9 is a detail plan view, looking in the direction of the arrow 9 in Fig. 7.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown portions of an automatic weft replenishing loom of the type shown in my prior patent and comprising aloom side 10, drop boxes 11, a two-cell magazine 12 and a transferrer 13 mounted on a rod or support 14 swinging about a fixed pivot 15.

A cam 16 is mounted on the usual cam shaft 17 and engages a cam roll 18 on a bell crank lever 19 mounted on a fixed pivot 20. A spring 21 holds the roll 18 yieldingly against the cam 16.

A stud 22 in the upper end of the bell crank 19 projects into an L-shaped slot 23 in a head 24 fixed to one end of a connecting rod or link 25, which in turn is pivoted at 26 to a collar 27 fixed on the transferrer support 14.

The head 24 rests on the outer end of an arm,' 30, mounted on a shaft 31 rotatable in fixed bearings and extending across to the other side of the loom where it has a feeler-controlled connection to intermittently actuatedoperating mechanism.

Under normal conditions, the parts occupy the position indicated in Fig. 1 and the stud 22 65 swings idly in the segmental horizontal portion of the slot 23. Upon indication of weft exhaustion, however, the arm 30 is swung upward when the stud 22 is at the front end of the slot 23, thus causing the stud to enter the vertical forward end portion of the slot 23 and to thereafter move the head 24, rod 25, support 14 and transferrer 13 rearward on the next oscillation of the bell crank 19 by the cam 16.

The magazine 12 is of the previously known type in which bobbin holders 40 are selectively movable downward to present the lowermost bobbin B in the path of the transferrer 13. The movement of the bobbin holders is controlled by a rock shaft or so-called color slide 41 (Fig. 1) movable endways by a bell crank 42 to selectively engage the one or the other of the bobbin holders and movable angularly by the arm 43 and link 44 to depress the selected bobbin holder.

All of the parts thus far described are of the 85 usual typeas is also the operating mechanism for the feeler cross shaft 31, the bell crank 42 and the link 44.

A bobbin retaining device 45 (Fig. 2) is pivoted at 46 on the magazine frame and is provided at its lower end with a resilient plate 47 (Fig. 3) having laterally spaced depending end portions 48. The end portions 48 are rearwardly curved as indicated in Fig. 2 andyieldingly engage the bobbinB as the bobbin is moved rearward by the transferrer 13 in anticipation of transfer. By providing the laterally spaced depending portions 48 the bobbin is more securely held in position and the chances of displacement during transfer are greatly reduced. 100

Associated with the transferrer 13 I provide a latch 50 (Figs. 4 and 6) adaptedto engage a notch 51 on a stand 52. When the transferrer is moved rearward, the latch 50 positively holds the transferrer in rearward transfer position during the ensuing forward movement of the lay. A spring 53 moves the latch 50 yieldingly to holding position.

An offset arm 55 is mounted to swing with the latch 50 and is utilized for the release of the 110 latch, thereby permitting the return of the transferrer to normal forward position, as will now be described.

For the purposes of such release, I provide a double cam 60 (Fig. 1) on the cam shaft 17, positioned to engage the rear end of a lever 61 at each revolution of the crank shaft. The lever 61 is mounted on a fixed pivot 62 and is connected by a, link 63 to the horizontal arm 64 of a bell crank 65 pivoted at 66 on the loom side 10.

The upper end of the bell crank 65 is positioned to engage the end of the offset arm 55 as the bell crank 65 moves forward, the relation of the parts being clearly shown in Fig. 4. Such engagement removes the latch 50 from the notch 51, thus releasing the transferrer.

It will be seen that the operation of the releasing device is positive and that the timing of the release is controlled entirely by the setting of the cam 60 on the cam shaft 17. The release of the transferrer is thus entirely independent of the movements of the lay or drop boxes and is more positive and dependable than in the construction shown in my Patent No. 1,932,778 issued October 31, 1933.

In looms of this type the pull-down connections to the harnesses commonly include a plurality of light wire rods 10 which extend downward just at the rear of the lay and more or less in the path of the ejected bobbins. Engagement of the wires by the ejected bobbins has been found objectionable.

It has also been found that properly retarding rearward movement of the butt of the bobbin effects a rearward swinging movement of the tip of the bobbin, which swinging movement is of substantial advantage in withdrawing the weft end upon the exhausted shuttle.

Accordingly I have provided the bobbin guiding and directing device '75 shown in detail in Figs. '7 and 9. This device comprises a box, pref-. erably of sheet metal, having a contracted depending discharge portion 76 open at its lower end and having an open frame '77 in its upper front portion through which the elected bobbins are received.

The right hand end of the device, asviewed in Fig. '7, is inclined forwardly, as indicated at 78 in Fig. 9, and is further provided with a forwardly and outwardly projecting wing or shield 79 positioned in front of the harness rods '10 and adapted bobbin B as the bobbin is ejected from the shuttle. Such engagement causes a turning movement of the bobbin, as indicated by the arrow 22 in Fig. 9.

This turning movement, as previously stated, is advantageous for withdrawing the weft end from the exhausted shuttle. The guiding and directing device '75 is mounted on a cross bar 80- which in turn is firmly attached to a suitable portion of the loom frame.

The device and shield '79 thus act to protect the harness rods 70 and to cause a desired turning movement of the ejected bobbin, as well as guiding the bobbins downward to the usual bobbin can or receptacle.

Having thus described several features of my to engage the butt of the empty invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:--

1. In a weft replenishing loom, a magazine, a transfer member movable rearward under said magazine to present a selected bobbin in transfer position, means to hold said transfer member in fixed rearward position as the lay moves forward to effect the bobbin change, and a cam operateddevice effective to thereafter release said holding means.

2. In a weft replenishing loom, a magazine, a transfer member movable rearward under said magazine to present a selected bobbin in transfer position, means to hold said transfer member in fixed rearward. position as the lay moves forward to effect the bobbin change, and means independent of the movement or position of the lay effective to release said holding means after bobbin change.

3. In a weft replenishing loom, a magazine, a transfer member movable rearward under said magazine to present a selected-bobbin in transfer position, means to hold said transfer member in fixed rearward position as the lay moves forward to effect the bobbin change, a cam on the bottom shaft, a lever engaged thereby, and a device operated by said lever effective to release said holding means after bobbin change.

i. In a weft replenishing loom, a magazine, a transfer member movable rearward under said magazine to present a selected bobbin in transfer" position, a latch to hold said transfer member in rearward position during bobbin change, and means operated from the bottom shaft of the loom for releasing said latch after bobbin change.

5. In a weft replenishing loom, a magazine, a transfer member movable rearward under said magazinetd present a selected bobbin in transfer position, a latch to hold said transfer member in rearward position during bobbin change, and means to thereafter release said latch at a predetermined time and irrespective of the movement of the lay. i i

6. In a magazine, a plurality of depressible bobbin holders, means to depress a selected bobbin holder, a transfer member effective to move the lowermost bobbin in a'depressed holder to transfer position, and a yielding member effective to 7.

hold said bobbin against the rear face of said transfer member as said member moves rearward, said yielding member having substantially spaced portions engaging said bobbin at each side of its center of length.

'7. In a magazine, a plurality of depressible bobbin holders, means to depress a selected bobbin holder, a transfer member effective to move the lowermost bobbin in a depressed holder to transfer position, and a yielding member effective to hold said bobbin against the rear face of said transfer member as said member moves rearward, the lower end of said yielding member being forked and having depending portions engaging said bobbin at each side of its center of length and at points substantially spaced apart.

- ALBERTA. GORDON; 

